The Pittsburgh Pirates are currently dealing with the absence of Ke’Bryan Hayes, who landed on the 10-day injured list due to low back inflammation last Saturday.
This isn’t the first time Hayes has faced back problems; it’s been a recurring issue for him over the past few seasons.
However, the Pirates are optimistic that Hayes won’t be out of action for too long. General manager Ben Cherington discussed Hayes’ situation on his weekly radio show on 93.7 The Fan before Sunday’s Mother’s Day game against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park.
Cherington expressed confidence that Hayes’ injury isn’t severe enough to significantly impact his season. He noted that it’s a familiar issue for Hayes, something he’s managed in the past, and they’re hopeful it will be short-term. Hayes has been playing through some discomfort for a while now, with the injury affecting him more at the plate than in the field at third base.
Before hitting the injured list, Hayes played in 34 games for the Pirates this season, posting a slash line of .240/.322/.318 with seven doubles, a home run, and 11 RBIs in 149 plate appearances.
Defensively, Hayes has been solid, contributing three defensive runs saved and maintaining a .968 fielding percentage. Impressively, he’s gone 27 consecutive games without committing an error after a rocky start to the season with three errors in the first seven games.
To fill his roster spot, the Pirates called up infielder Alika Williams from Triple-A Indianapolis, while Jared Triolo has been holding down third base in Hayes’ absence.
